The Song of his Ancestors
by public static void
Summary: James didn't care about disregarding a tradition if it meant keeping the Cloak.


**Written for Hogwarts' Ancient Studies (Ancient Egypt) Task #3 -** Write about someone abandoning a long-held tradition.

 **Also for the Ultimate Patronus Quest -** Class B Mammals: Grey hound (Write about the Potter children sticking together in a certain situation)

 **Word count:** 932.

* * *

James didn't want to let go.

The soft material felt like water on his fingers; it was cold and yet it held plenty of magic and history to make his heart feel warm at the mere presence of the Cloak. As such, it was understandable that he couldn't let go.

"Come on, James," Albus told him. He only had to put the Map in a fancy envelope and that was it. While special, the Map didn't hold a tenth of the Cloak's magic. "It's hard, I know, but your son deserves it."

"Besides, it's a family tradition," Lily added, putting Father's album in a little box and charming it to change colour every few seconds. The wooden box had been prettier before, but for an eleven-year-old boy the charm would be better; it would show him what he could do if he applied to his studies. Or at least, that was Lily's reasoning.

"Guys, you haven't felt it," James insisted. He took only an instant –less than the duration of a hearbeat– to see his siblings. They were looking at him with confusion and not enough understanding for his liking.

"Of course we have, James," Lily said, rolling her eyes. "It's soft and you like soft things. I'll buy you a cat if you want."

He snorted but shook his head. Lily's annoyance could be seen in her whole posture, from the tilted back hair to the fists on her waist. Albus, on the other hand, appeared pensive.

"No, guys," James insisted, putting the Cloak in their hands, making them touch it to see if they could feel the warmth or hear the song coming from the Cloak with the voice of their ancestors. "Can't you feel it?"

"Wait," Lily said suddenly, opening her eyes wide. "Is it... silk? Yes! Definitely Water Lacewing silk of the best kind. Not even Albus' boyfriend has clothes of this quality."

James rolled his eyes.

"If you're going to keep on playing with me then you better leave."

"And let you keep the Cloak?" Lily asked with an eyebrow raised. "Nope. My nephew deserves to have this tradition, James, even if you don't want to part with the Cloak."

Albus shook his head.

"It's not that we can't feel it, James," he began to say and James looked to him expecting to be mocked again. He guessed it might have been a Slytherin thing, but that didn't mean he wanted his siblings –his younger siblings– to laugh at him. "It's just that we're not the owners."

"The owners?" Lily said. "Dad gave each of us something. The Cloak to James, the Map to you, and his old wand and album to me. That's that."

James was about to agree when Albus shook his head again.

"James, do you know what the Cloak is?" Albus asked staring intently at James, who couldn't see his green eyes without being reminded of the shadowed look on father's face whenever he spoke of the Cloak.

"An invisibility cloak?" Lily suggested sarcastically.

"It's Death's Cloak, guys," Albus told them. "Didn't you ever wondered how could it be passed down in our family without the enchantments fading? I thought Dad had told you, James."

He shook his head and looked down at the Cloak in his hands again.

"He never did. I can't believe it."

"Wait," Lily interrupted. "What do you mean when you say Death's Cloak?"

"The Deathly Hallows, Lily," Albus explained patiently. "Why do you think Dad had two wands? He had the Cloak and the Wand," he stopped and hesitated before continuing with narrowed eyes. "And I suspect he had the Stone too, before–"

"Teddy's ring!" Lily exclaimed, excited. "It's a stone with a strange marking. I've seen it."

"Of course you would," teased James. "How's everything going with Victoire?"

"Don't change the subject, James," Albus said, being the voice of reason. "This begun because you can't part with the Cloak and I think it's more than just it being soft."

Lily snorted. "Do you mean James is enchanted by it?"

Despite her sarcastic tone of voice, James felt Lily's worry and it warmed his heart.

"I'm afraid he is," Albus said.

They stayed silent for a minute. James still held the Cloak and the magic in it was as thrilling as ever.

"I will keep it," he decided.

"And break the Potter's tradition? Even Dad got it when he first went to Hogwarts," Lily argued. "You can't do it."

"I can and I will," James stated. "You can give those to Euphemius, but the Cloak will wait with me."

Albus sighed. "As long as you hand it over some day, I can accept it."

They stared at Lily. She had a frown similar to their mother's but at the end, she relaxed and waved a hand.

"I guess it couldn't hurt, but my nephew will miss on doing some pranks."

"Not having an invisibility cloak never stopped Uncle George and Uncle Fred," James said. "And I'm proud to say my son takes after him."

"Lucky you," said Albus, though James knew he didn't think him lucky. Albus was someone who valued quiet time and with a son like Euphemius would rob him of that.

They wrapped the rest of the gifts before the rest of the family got back from whatever they were doing to distract Euphemius.

If his son had known what he hid from him, he might have hated James. Yet he didn't know, and if breaking the Potter's tradition meant James could keep the Cloak a little longer he would do it.


End file.
